Chariot King ready to rumble

Chariot King will line up on Saturday night at Tabcorp Park Menangle for the first time since June 7 and trainer John Tapp acknowledges he is a little concerned with the race distance of 2300 metres. After having three weeks in the paddock Chariot King has had two trials to get some fitness 'under his belt' but Tapp admits the seven year old will need some racing before he finds his peak form.

"There are only so many corridors of opportunity during the season to give horses a short break and after Chariot King's last run at Menangle we took the option to give him a quick letup before getting him ready for some of the better races coming up," Tapp said.

"Ideally I would have looked for a race over the mile trip for his first run back but he needs to get back racing so you have to play the cards you are dealt."

Chariot King will line up against the Tritton pair Mach Beauty and Suave Stuey Lombo and Tapp believes they will be the hardest to beat.

"Shane's horses had a good hit-out last Saturday night and they are obviously fully wound up so they look to be the pair to beat but there are some other nice horses in the race."

"It is no secret that Chariot King is a 'massive doer' and he has certainly put on weight during the break. In fact I can't remember him ever missing a feed at my place since he arrived as a very young horse. I reckon he would eat a chicken chow mein if you offered it to him."

At his first trial back Chariot King did very little work early but rattled home from the tail and ran a very fast final quarter.

"He hit the line extremely well and Jim (Douglass driver) said he felt completely normal, exactly like Chariot King should feel so that's what you want to hear from the driver, now I'm just looking forward to Saturday."